


North and South

by Ceares



Category: Numb3rs, The Sentinel
Genre: Crossover, Gen, vaguely implied crushes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-22
Updated: 2014-05-22
Packaged: 2018-01-26 02:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1671557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceares/pseuds/Ceares





	North and South

Charlie took deep, calming breaths, trying to relax. It was just-there were a lot of people crowding around, pushing and jostling, and even though he'd just graduated from high school, he was still only thirteen, and it was his first trip away from home alone. No matter that he was the one who'd begged and pleaded for a month to be allowed to come.

Don and his dad had finally ganged up on his mom and got her to agree. After all, it was just for two weeks, and Professor Ferguson had promised to look after him personally. So Cascade, Washington-Rainier University-seminar on Discrete math–welcome Charles Eppes. Only who knew that airport would stump him.

The professor hadn't shown up, and Charlie couldn't reach him at home or at the campus. He sat there, getting more and more nervous, thinking about all the horror stories that Don would tell him, about lunatics and fiends just waiting to kidnap a boy genius and use his brain in experiments. He knew they weren't true, and safe and secure at home, he laughed them off. Here was a different matter.

He was just about to give up, go call his mom, and tell her he wanted to come home, when he heard his name being called. He got the impression of a whirl of energy, bouncing curls and bright blue eyes, as a boy that looked about Don's age headed for him.

"Charlie Eppes, right? Sorry I'm late. The professor had a family emergency so he drafted me to come pick you up. Of course I had to get a flat tire along the way. What are the chances huh?"

"Actually it would depend on a number of things. I could…" he trailed off. Darn it, he had to stop doing that. He'd promised himself he was going to try harder to fit in. People found out he was a freak soon enough, he didn't have to let it be known in the first ten seconds.

"You could really calculate that?"

"Um, yeah."

"Cool. Oh, I'm Blair by the way-Blair Sandburg." He reached out and shook Charlie's hand. "Come on, let's get your bags."

 

&&&&&&&&&&

 

Blair was nothing like Donny, nothing like anyone Charlie had ever met before. Don would have called him a hippie, and Charlie knew they would probably never have been friends. Which was why it was so cool that Blair was Charlie's friend, made all on his own.

It didn't take him long to find out that Blair was just as smart as Charlie in his own way. He was _"Crashing over the professor's garage for the summer. My dig fell through at the last minute, and Jerry and Tasha were cool enough to offer. All I have to do is walk the dog, water the plants and entertain the baby Einstein."_ The fond hair ruffle that accompanied the last statement took the sting out of being handed off to Blair like a dirty diaper.

Blair had started college at sixteen, so he knew what it felt like not to fit in. "I'll tell you a little secret though. The hair."

"The hair?" Blair's hair was long and curly. Reddish brown and gold depending on the light. Charlie wanted to touch it all the time, something that worried him just a little bit.

Blair grinned, and leaned back against the park bench, crossing his legs. Spicer, the professor's dog was currently investigating the butt of a friendly poodle. "It's a big draw. A couple of inches on you, a couple of inches on it, you'll be fighting em' off my man."

Watching all the girls, and _guys_ that gave Blair the eye when they went to the UC, Charlie believed him. He knew it wasn't just the hair though. Blair was like a magnetic pole, drawing people in. Like Donny, except, people were attracted to Don because he was special, and they wanted to be around that.

Blair, on the other hand made people feel like they were special, made Charlie feel like _he_ was special, and for once, not because of his math, or cause he was Don Eppes little brother.

 

&&&&&&&&&&

 

Donny picked him up at the airport, giving him a loose one armed hug. "Welcome back, squirt." He grabbed Charlie's bag, hoisting it easily over one shoulder. "How was your trip to mathville?"

Charlie thought of Blair's address tucked safely away in his wallet. "It was great!"

"Yeah, well I'm glad you enjoyed it, since you're probably not getting away from mom and dad again til you're thirty." Don reached over and brushed the hair off Charlie's forehead. "You need a haircut buddy, this stuff's getting to be a mop."

Charlie shrugged, trying not to shiver at his brother's touch. "Actually I kind of like it."


End file.
